I'm 57 (for a few more days). I bought my SK new almost 40 years ago.
-
Enjoy XS650.com? Consider making a donation to help support the site.
XS650.com receives a small share of sales from some links on this page, but direct donations have a much greater impact on keeping this site going.
What is the average age of this group ?
- Thread starter hamamatsu
- Start date
MrBillohnooo
XS650 Addict
I am 57, till tomorrow. Still riding the street tracker every chance I get!
Intellectually = variable (depends on the topic as I figure that I've got the engineering knowledge of a guy my age, but the sense of humour of a 14 year old walking hormone overdose).
Physiologically = 137 ( bad knees - that's why Brit-bikes are out for me)
Temperamentally = 9 (can be cranky or silly as the mood strikes - just cannot stand bragging BS-laden @ssholes)
Chronologically = 58 (Yippeee - I can get the seniors' discount at Farron's butcher shop in just two more years!!!))
I've been riding for 41 years with a 25 year break from 1990-2015. I've had 6 bikes including the three I own now (two XS650s and my Honda ST1300 two-wheeled trackless locomotive).
Physiologically = 137 ( bad knees - that's why Brit-bikes are out for me)
Temperamentally = 9 (can be cranky or silly as the mood strikes - just cannot stand bragging BS-laden @ssholes)
Chronologically = 58 (Yippeee - I can get the seniors' discount at Farron's butcher shop in just two more years!!!))
I've been riding for 41 years with a 25 year break from 1990-2015. I've had 6 bikes including the three I own now (two XS650s and my Honda ST1300 two-wheeled trackless locomotive).
I'm 60 now.
gruff54
XS650 Enthusiast
62
Exploding Coffin Emporium
Day tight compartments
young enough to drink and fight, old enough to appreciate a solid retirement portfolio
With the exception of Fredintoon's and Royboy's group, and the teenagers, the age distribution is much flatter than I expected...
Yes that was a surprise to me as well. In the 2011 year the 10's 20's 30's = the 50's 60's 70's but the lower ages top out the older group. I think this could have been due to the revival of the Hard-tail set. Notice in 2015 the lower ages had dropped of and more of the older set. Is this an indication the Hard-tail XS650 is in decline or are they going to other sites.
Of course this is only bases on participants so the contribution has no real bases except as a guide.
XStretchified650
Back in the 650 Saddle
Hmmm ..seems like a lot of math. Me?.....I'm 15 and don't have my license yet (but my hair is 58 and really freakin gray}.
XStretchified
XStretchified
Michaelo
650Mick
Shivers....54, still wild though
queenslegs
XS650 Addict
Yikes, 59! Keep the XS for round town but my ass demands the Corbin seat on my DL650 for those cross country jaunts.
colebrooker
XS650E US import
Standard roadster in original green. I am 77 and just using the kicker less than the button.
Waiting for the spring weather here in the UK.
Waiting for the spring weather here in the UK.
The younger guys don't have computers or laptops they use phones and facebook. The hardtail guys are thick on XS650 facebook groups and chopcult we ain't the friendliest site on the web for that crowd. Funny take on this; It's become standard practice on "it don't run right" threads to have to coax out that the bike is probably a bobber, hardtail. They turn to us old farts for advice when those "friendly" media fall down on expert help matters but don't want to get slammed for having a hardtail.
It is always risky to generalize but... after a career in industry, I teach engineering at a university and I've found that many teens and 20-somethings simply do not have any experience with tools or machinery (the proverbial farmers kids). These young folks are really bright and have they remarkable IT skills - but ask them to torque a bolt, adjust an idle mixture screw or even read an electrical schematic - and they're helpless. As Gary says above, they have to come to us - and they seem to be reluctant to even try to learn sometimes.
I blame the fact that most school systems have eliminated technical shop classes due to the cost and liability issues - but as a consequence, we are raising an entire generation of kids who can "think" - but often cannot "do". Who will be the carpenters, plumber and mechanics of tomorrow...? The young kids who do take up those trade will do verrry well in my view.
Pete
I blame the fact that most school systems have eliminated technical shop classes due to the cost and liability issues - but as a consequence, we are raising an entire generation of kids who can "think" - but often cannot "do". Who will be the carpenters, plumber and mechanics of tomorrow...? The young kids who do take up those trade will do verrry well in my view.
Pete
Exploding Coffin Emporium
Day tight compartments
Your absolutely right, but there's too much hate on hard tails, shit I'm building one right now as a matter of fact, and it's a fun build so far, allows a lot of creativity. Now I'll be the first to say, it's a fuckin terrible way to start your motorcycling career, and not the way I began or would recommend, but I get it. It's good in the sense that it gets people interested in wrenching and riding, and the more of us out there the better. Many of them will never get those projects out of the garage, many will move on to the next "cool new thing", but some will learn, put in the work, and become the very people keeping something we all love alive. Just my .02
Personally i think this thread should be free from the hardtail/whatever discussion. My observation and statement was a conclusion i came to based on age numbers. The younger set, (not exclusively), are/were more inclined to build a hard tail and that age group appeared to drop off
I organize a couple of vintage rallies and attend others. It's all grey hair at these things with a few notable exceptions. I have come to the conclusion that the youngsters who own these bikes don't actually ride them. They may wrench on them and pose with them, but they only ride to the coffee house or some other hipster gathering. They are not interested in old dudes with their motorcycle enthusiast ways. I find it disappointing because I'd like to see it keep going. Who's going to keep Harley-Davidson going once our generation is gone?
Wealthy young folks win strong bladders?
The custom hardtail choppers are going the way of the dinosaur. There used to be lots at the annual Calgary Motorcycle Show, but for the last 2 or 3 years they have vanished. H-D has brought out smaller bikes, around 500cc, to try to capture the young people. H-D also has their electric bike development. H-D will survive, but will look different than today.
